The Pit Crew

In racing, the pit crew is the group of people that makes sure that the racer can continue racing: They make sure that the car is maintained, that the racer is fed, and that the racer never gives up. Without the pit crew, the racer might do well for a good part of the race, but can't possibly last the entire length of the race. They may never be recognized by the fans but without them the driver would never be able to really race.



The pit crew are a step up from your flavor characters. These are characters that do important things, and not just help define your setting. These characters are the ones that not only provide a service for the main character(s), but also act as occasional confidante, friend, and even lover. They not only make sure that the little details are taken care of, such as meals fixed, armored suits cleaned, and secret lairs maintained, but also that the wounds are properly cleaned and that there is always a shoulder to cry on. In short, they allow the main character to keep going and not just invent a new form of building diving.



Consider Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred not only helps define Batman's world (Bruce Wayne is rich, so of course he has a butler), he also makes sure that equipment works, deflects the occasional busybody, and even helps Batman do research. He has also acted as Batman's conscience, and has been one of the few people that has stood up to Batman and told him off. Alfred is probably as close to an uncle as Batman has ever had. Without Alfred not only does Batman's world fall apart but it would become a much more dreary existence.



Commissioner Gordon is another interesting supporting character. Besides giving Batman a somewhat legitimate official backing (Batman has been deputized more than a few times), as well as access to some information that even the Batman has no access to, Commissioner Gordon has also stood up to Batman (yes, it can be done!), as well as provided some plot hooks. It helps that they have an established friendship, and have even shared important events in each others' lives.



How about Mary Jane Watson? Peter Parker needs someone to keep him grounded; you can't go up against one of the nastiest rogue galleries in all of comicdom without having someone ground you. Mary Jane may not have many contacts, may not have any powers, and may be one of the weakest wives ever, but she does something that no other wife in the comics can do: She keeps one of the most above-average heroes average. And that's no small accomplishment when you realize that Spider-Man has arguably one of the most eclectic rogues gallery of any established hero (it includes psycopaths, heroes, shape-changers, magical beings, and true multiple personalities).



May as well through Lex Luthor into the mix (ever notice how many double-L's there are in Superman's life [Lana Lang, Lois Lane, Lex Luther, Lara-El]?). An unlikely supporting character if there was one, Lex has shown not only the weaknesses of the Man of Steel, as well as his strengths. By taking one of the most mercenary personalities ever and adding in ambition and a megalomania that knows no bounds, Lex acts as Supes' best foil; because he adds so much to Superman, it's hard to imagine Superman without his dark shadow. It's because of how tied the two of them are, as well as how much The Businessman defines the Boy Scout, that it can be argued that Lex is more of a supporting character than arch-villain.



In short, a supporting character can add another dimension to your character by allowing him to be human. They allow him to mess up, and be called on it. They become just as vital to our perception to the character as what they wear, do, or say, and even become our friends and examples of what we can do (I wonder how many police chiefs have modeled themselves on Jim Gordon or businessman wish they could be Lex?). They show that the hero has someone to hang with, and just be human (or as human as some of these people get). Ultimately, they represent aspects of the character that they support, and in such a way that they help to ensure the longevity of the comic, possibly for the long haul.

Guess I'd better comment on it; everyone else has!

For the few that don't know: Todd Goldman recently sold a painting based on the artwork of webcomic artist David Kelly. Apparently, Goldman has stolen a lot of artwork, and even has a pipeline in the form of T-shirt design submissions to his company. He apparently uses the work to help him make fun of pop culture (he takes the work and then parodies it). I'd really like to see someone take him to court and see if his work would be protected by the Fair Use Act (which covers parody)...

Is Todd Goldman scum? Definitely. But only because he's an illustrator. If it had happened in the world of writing, the argument would be less cut and dry; being a writer means that you will occasionally be tempted to steal something that you see in someone else's writing. And you generally will!

You need to realize that there is a difference between illustrators and writers, and that the two worlds can be bridged, but never really be together. Those that write and illustrate can appreciate the difference; whereas an illustrator takes less organization, can really be done anywhere, and is considered really cool, writing takes tremendous organization, can only be done where you feel comfortable, and isn't cool. It's a right brain vs. left brain issue; writers are at their best when they are being analytical, whereas illustrators do better when they are in the moment.

This difference applies to how they do things as well. Illustrators that steal should be blacklisted; it shows a lack of imagination to steal someone else's artwork, and to just throw on your own special touches. Writers that steal, however, gain praise. Characters, plots, and concepts are treated as tools, and can be shared as long as you DO something with them. Consider how many characters with BIG swords there are. Besides making Freud nervous, they're fun to draw; they're also fun for writers to include because WE GET THE JOKE. Think about it: The Japanese are fascinated by the length of certain organs, and so it's interesting to see how long the swords will get.

But...other things are stolen as well. It's almost part of the craft to steal from someone at some point, and to see what you can do with it. It's not that writers are naturally dishonest; rather, we are highly competitive with each other, and the need to one-up each other is part of who we are. We like to push each other, and show that we can write better than anyone else. The easiest way to do that is by taking something that someone else has done, and show them what are take is. We recognize that we are at the bottom of the food chain; that's probably why we are so competitive.

We try a lot more, and we find inspiration easier than illustrators. It's almost as if we grab onto things, and then see what we can change about them, to make them part of our universe. Writers need to write, and we will write about anything that inspires us. So realize that being a writer makes you kin to gypsies, where property doesn't mean that much, and the group is more important than the individual members.

So steal, and be happy that the commandment about stealing is not your worry. At least, until somone catches you!

Extras That Return

If extras are those characters that are just there to provide filler, you will have those that perform specific tasks that show up all the time, but aren't part of the main cast. The perfect example of this is Nurse Joy and her infinite sisters from the Pokemon universe; every town has one, and her function is to merely heal pokemon and show how big of a pervert Brock is. Every video game has them: The NPC who is there for a specific function and that's it. There's no real need to flesh them out beyond the need to make them seem human; they are just part of the background.



Consider how many characters you have that are there just to provide information, a literal font of information. The font is just an extra; his or her identity changes each time, and the actual person doesn't matter. That is, it's a generic seer, a thug found in a bar, or just a random someone you pick every time you need a specific type of information dispersed. In this situation, the character doesn't matter, and so he's still just an extra. Nonetheless, they provide an important function in making sure that either your characters or audience have the information that they need.



Extras also show that your characters have real effects on the world. By having a real person having been affected by the characters' actions, you show that your world has depth. And in order to do this you need recurring extras. If your characters eliminate hunger, you need to show that someone who was famished is enjoying a good meal; it really brings home the point that they have done something (eliminated hunger) and that it has had an effect (people are eating). By the same token you can use an extra to show the effects of a devastating even more effectively than by using a main character to comment on the situation; nothing says “the farm was wrecked” quite like showing a little kid with a torn clothes, a grimy face, and tear down one cheek.



In cartoons, recurring extras are used extensively. You have the poor boy who the hero treats with respect who ends up saving the hero's life (usually as a sacrifice). There is the mother of six that has adopted the heroine, usually for succor. And don't forget the caravan owner that seems to be everywhere...



A recurring extra should never become an actual permanent character; occasionally you can highlight them, using them as a plot hook in order to get a character into the story, but the character should then disappear into the woodwork. They should only show up when you need someone from the world to show that your characters are having an effect; bring them up early in the story, and then when the effect has occurred. You can show the character as events change things, but don't get too crazy with showing the character; he may be a human being, but he's still just part of the background.



Keep in mind that he's there just to create some kind of sympathy and to show how important the character is; he's not there to add to your cast, but how your cast is perceived. Sometimes it's hard to create sympathy for your characters; they may be extreme anti-heroes, cold, or extremely professional and are thus unable to truly interact with other characters, and so showing the human side of your characters is difficult. By creating an extra that shows that the characters are human, and that the character is cold for a reason, you create a little more sympathy for your characters. Without that human touch, your comic just doesn't have any relation to your audience. And without that touch, your comic just won't become popular. And you want to become popular, right?



Consider, for example, the standard situation where the hero walks away from a violent scene and the cop who sees him just lets him pass, maybe with a quick salute. With one interaction you show that the hero is seen as heroic, even if what he does isn't, and that puts the hero's action in a different light. Consider how a waiter treats the hero: If the waiter is rude or condescending it shows that the character is considered trash while if the same waiter acts just too politely then we know the person is a great tipper. Your extras can be used to show a lot of neat details without you having to say anything; that's what your extras are for.



So remember those single mothers with large families, roaming caravan owners, and sacrificial urchins; you may need them!

Part V: ThoseThat Inspire

[Last one; sorry this is taking so long, it's just that I've been connection and work issues...Monday]

The last step in getting rid of racism is to show that every group has heroes that have contributed something to society, as well as have been around for a while. The link to history is important; the longer the roots go, the more solid the group. (Because of that, and to encourage you to look them yourself, I'm purposely not putting any dates in.) So...are there ten black heroes that have nothing to do with the various performing arts or athletics? Let's see...

Harriet Tubman: A conductor of the Underground Railroad, she ferried over 1000 slaves to freedom over 160 trips. Even though she was epileptic, illiterate, and having a reward for her head. Her career as a conductor lasted until the Civil War, when she was forced to retire. In her “retirement” she became a major voice for both the black and woman's equality movements.

Frederick Douglass: MLK, Jr., was not the first major speaker for black equality. That particular honor could be arguably given to Mr. Douglas. He struck up coalitions with other civil rights organizations, including the nascent women's rights movements; this allowed the small organizations to pool resources, and it made sense as members of one group sometimes belonged to others.

Mary McLeod Bethune: President of the National Association of Colored Women and the founder of the National Council for Negro Women, she is the subject of the first black OR woman to be placed in any park in the nation's capital. She also held one of the Top Twenty position in the New Deal administration. She was responsible for increasing the education opportunities for African Americans. If you ever complain about blacks not having opportunities, her ghost may just say hi in a very rude way.

George Washington Carver: The only person to have invented more than Thomas Edison; his inventions generally involved the peanut. His inventions include peanut butter (the formula is virtually unchanged since it was first invented) and peanut oil; he was single-handedly responsible for helping Georgia.

Jessie Redmon Fauset: The mid-wife of African American literature, she was a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance. She was also the editor of “Crisis”, a magazine published by the NAACP. She taught English, French (presumably practiced when she went to school at the Sorbonne), and literature, and wrote a number of books for adults and children, which were revived in the 1960s.

Crispus Attucks: Death makes all men equal. Born of Native American and black blood, Attucks was an escaped slave that became the leader of fifty men that advanced on a British unit, yelling, “Do not be afraid!”. The soldiers fired on the men, and he and four other men were killed. Over a thousand people attended the funeral.

Fannie Lou Hamer: From humble beginnings grow mighty things. Starting off as a sharecropper, she eventually became best known for the line, “I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Although beaten for doing so, she encouraged voter reform, eventually causing the Voter Reform Act signed into law by President Johnson. Her charisma and singing talent lent her voice strength, and she was a well-known speaker and it took diabetes, cancer, and heart problems to stop her. The Mississippi House of Representative passed a resolution honoring her activism at the state and national levels; the vote was 116 to 0.

Benjamin Bradley: Necessity can be the spirit of invention. Working at the Annapolis Academy, where he helped set up experiments, Bradley invented a steam engine for the warship. Unable to patent the invention (he was a slave at the time) he nonetheless was able to sell the plans and purchased his freedom.

Augusta Savage: I figure I need to keep slamming the education issue; Augusta is my last hope. She had but one talent: Sculpture. She went to Cooper Union in New York to study, and the school eventually sponsored her when she was no longer able to take care of bills. She was able to go to Italy to study (which she did for three years based on a single statue paying the tuition and a scholarship to get her there and back home). Although she did some political options (a rejection from Paris based on her race encouraged her to get into politics), it was her work for the Works Progress Administration and the 1939 New York World's Fair (the latter pieces were destroyed after the fair, but pictures remain).

James Van Der Zee: Photographers often see more than the light that comes through their lens; sometimes, they can see the soul of their of the subject and record that. Born to the maid and butler to Ulysses S Grant, Van Der Zee opened his first studio in Harlem, and photographed Harlem over the next sixty years. His photographs were eventually included in the “Harlem on my Mind” (1969) exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I figure these people should inspire anyone. I only hope that they did...